Automatic releasing mechanism



Jan. 13, 1931. w. A. ROTHHOLZ 1,739,115

AUTOMATIC RELEASING MECHANISM Original Filed June 7, 192a 2 Sl 1eets-Sheet 1 T'Vzllliam ARoZkkoZz.

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Patented Jan. 13,1931

' WILLIAM efno'rnnotz, or NEW YORK, 11. Y.- 1

Ao'roMA'rIo REL ASIN MECHANISM Application filed June 7,1923, Serial No. 'i This invention relates to a time-controlled supporting and releasing device for holdlng a movable ObJBCi) in a vertical plane at a;

predetermined time and automatic means to allow the movable object to fall by gravity,

.The principal object of the invention is to provide a device offthis characterhaving means to latch a movable object n a given position and timecontrolled means to trip .,1.0 the latch so the object can drop by its own weight. Another'object of vide a device of this nature having means to latch a movable object in a given posi- 15 tion,.time controlled. means to trip the latch so the object can fall of its own weight and means to cushion the fallof the object.

further object of the invention,.-is to] provide adevice having adjustable means zoto retain a movable object inayariety of set positions, time controlled means to trip the retaining means so the object can fall of its own weight and means to regulate. the rate of descent of the movable object.

' Qther objects will appear as the disclosure progresses. The drawings are intended merely to indicate a possible embodiment of the invention. .It is therefore not intended to limitthe disclosure tothe embodi ment illustrated but rather to,

limitsjin the appended claims.

vThe invention is herein shown define such applied to a window sash whose counter weights are less than the weight of the sash or to. a

' ever I do not wish to limit myself to this 7 window sash without any weights; Howspecific form of application as this device can be applied to a large variety of uses. f

In brief the invention consists of a rod having the upper end fastened .toa window sash and the bottom .end arranged to slide in a cylinder, a series of notches in the rod for engaging a. pawl, and so arrangedthat the sash canbe opened and retained'in a variety of positions,. and anqelectromagnet actuated by a time clock for tripping. the

pawl so as to disengage with thenotches and allow the sash to drop :by force of gravity. Figure l is a view of a window sash showingthe device. attached thereto.

the invention is to pro- Figure -7.

283307. Renewed. September 29, 193.0. I

- Figure 2 is alde tachedview ofthe me means inset position. a a

Figure 31s a sim lar-view wlth tion. Flgure 4 1s a F1gure2.

partly in section showing the sash holding as Figure ibut the holding; means in a released posi j section'- on line 1 pt Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevationshowi ing the: adjustable sash holding -means .in' the lowered position. Figure 6 is a fragmentary View looking in the direction of. arrow A of Figure 4.

Figure 7- is a view of the clock mechanism for controlling the'de'vice. I Figure 8 is a section on line;-8,8 of

Referring now to'theudrawingsin detail in which like reference characters. denote like parts. throughout the specification, numeral 1 designates a vertical rod the upper end of whichis attached to a window sash 2 by the bracket 3; .Fastened to the lower end of the rodis a piston 4 adapted to move in a cylinder 5. I

' Cut in the ,rodl is a plurality of sloping notches 6 forming shoulders 7. At the'top ofthe rod is a collar-8 the function of whichv will be described later. I

The piston comprises a plate or follower 9,- a. leather cup 10, cup. retainer 115 and a pistonlholding nutf12QQThe cylinder is threaded'at the,top ..to receive a threaded p ug 13. having an oil or lubricating receiving .pocketlt.v

Means are Provided n tlief cylinder tov break the suction at the bottom ;when the .1

piston moves up and also to vent thecylina der when the. piston moves down which consists of a tubular member 15 havin an inthe threaded hole 16 is inserted an'a'd-just ing screw 18.. It will thus be seen that on the upstroke of the piston air will be able to pass into the-cylinder through the slots l7 andprevent the piston frombinding. On the downward stroke of the piston the func-' teriorly threaded 11.016 d *slots l Into tion'of the suction preventing means' is re.-

versed. When moving downwardlylthe rate ii-descent of the piston andisash can be,

s The solenoid40'isgroundedlto the bracket regulated by adjustingthe air compression formed in the cylinder below the piston. For allowing the sash to drop slowly the opening of the slots 17 is lessened so as to allow the air to pass out gradually, and for allowing the sash to drop quickly the opening is increased so'the air can pass out at a' faster rate. The plug 13'is' vented as at 19 in order to break the suction and prevent air compression in the cylinder above thepistoin ing holes therein to receive a pin '25 on which a tripper 26 is mounted. The tripper exten'dshorizontally and has a downwardly extending lug 27 to'leave a space above-theopening provided for the solenoid coreto solenoid. The tripper 26' has an upwardly extending arm 28 with a hole through its end to receive a pin29 which passes through a pawl 30 having its upper end 31v shaped on one side toconform to the contour of. the

notches 6. Wound aroundthe pin 29 is. a coiled torsion spring 32. Said spring has an *extension 33 which 'is inserted intothe tripper arm 28 and an opposite extension 34 which is inserted into the pawl 30.

Fastened' to the'hub 21' of thebracket 20 is a spring 35 having a horizontally extending arm 36 and adapted to contactwith an 7 electrical contact post 37 supported in an insulated member 38 in the bracket'20.

Attached to the cylinder 5 by any appropriate means is a support '39 for; an electric solenoid 40 which is fastenedbetween the underside of the bracket20 and the support 39. For the movement of the .iron' core 4:06} of the solenoid there is a hole ll provided in the bracket 20.

QVVhen an electricLcurrent'by which this mechanism is operated is open, the bottom end of the core 4:004 drops through a hole 42 in the support 39 into'a tubular member I 43. 'Passing'through the walls of the mem ber 43is 'a pin 44E on whichgthe bottom of the core Crests when the solenoid is not energized.

20at as; From thesolenoid a lead wire 46 7 runs to a clock 47 and is grounded thereto. 'Fastened to the clock and insulated therefrom is a circular member 48 having a groove 49 in which is adapted to move a contact member 50. i The said contact member can be set to any time place onthe clock within the reach o'fthe hands. 'The lead .wire '51 is connected tothe circular member prevent air binding of said core within the 48, runs to a battery 52, and thence connects with the binding post 37 A form of clock has been described which will operate'this device but any type of clock having provisions therein to perform the functions herein described can be used. The operation of this deviceis as follows:

To the inside of the window "frame as shown at A in Figure 1' the supporting and releasing mechanism is. permanently fastened tothe windowsash- 2 which is :then raised to any desired height within the length of thev stem The' spring '32 with its exten- 'sions 33 and 34: forces the tripper 28 and pawl 30totake position with its upper end 31 fitting into-the notch '6,a's shown in'Fig' ure 2[ The weight of the window sash" on the pawl makes its'piv'ot point, which is the pin 29, bear outwardly because the line of force from the weight of the sash is inside of a line drawn from the upper end of the pawl 31 to'the pivot pin 29 of thetri'pper 28 and thereby causes thev lug 27 tobear 0 man opener raised position.

"The time at which the sash has been predetermined to close is set by placing the contact'50 at the desired position on'theclock; At this set time when the clock hand-53 is in contact with the contact member 50*an electiic' circuit from the battery 52' is closed and the solenoid core 40a is pulled up rapidly by the magnetic field of the' solenoid 4:0 and hits the underside ofthe tripper'26 thereby causing .same to {pivot on the pin 25 pushing the; arm 28' 'inwardly and downwardly which action pulls the pawl 30 out of the notch 67 as shown. in Figure 3, holding'this' position. as long as the electric cur a ainst the bracket 20 and retain the sash ice rent is" closed and allowsthejwindow sash V tofall 1 by its own weight} To prevent the sashfrom lowering too rapidly and with a shock there is provided an air cushion at the bottom of the cylinder 5 by having-the ilo cylinder piston c'ompressingth'e air within the -cylinder.. ,The amountof the compression of theair cushion can be regulated by "iii;

the adjusting screw 18 permitting more or less compressed air tojescape' through the slots 17 The slots'or air passages also provide means for easy lifting of the rod .1: and its. attached sashby' permitting an inflow of ir thus preventing a suction within the cylinderv to retard the lifting of'the sash.

When the sash reaches a closedposition the collar 8 comes into contact with the spring ar1n'36 ushing same out of contact with the post 3 "as shown in dotted lines in Figure 4 thereby opening the'electriccircuit,

causing the solenoidicore 40a to dropfand permitting the'spring 32;t0 cause the tripper 28'and pawl '30 to takethe position as a so shownin Figure ready for another setting of the sash in a raised position.

- For releasing the sash supporting means manually the pin 29 can be used to trip the pawl30 by giving the pin an inward movement towards the rod 1.

Having described invention, I claim:

1. In a device .of the class described, the combination of a window sash,'of a vertical rod attached thereto, a plurality of notches in said rod, a pawl engaging any of said notches, an electro-magnet for tripping said pawl, an electric circuit,' time controlled means for controlling the operation of sa d magnet, a collar at the top of said rod, a

spring like contact member, said contact member engaging with a terminal of the electric circuit when the rod and sash are manually raised, and disengaged with the terminal and thereby opening the circuit whenothe rod is lowered by the said collar forcing the spring like member out of contact with the said terminal.

2. In a device of the class described, the

manually raised, and disengaged with the terminal and thereby opening the circuit when the rod is lowered by the said collar forcing the spring like member out of contact with the said terminal.

3. In a device of the kind described, a gravity operated notched latch rod having downwardly facing notches, a bellcrank pivoted at its angle adjacent said rod and having one arm projecting upwardly and inclined toward the rod, a pawl pivoted to the end of said arm and movable into alinement therewith to engage a notch thereof and movable out of alinement to permit the pawl to disengage from the: notch, a spring engaging said arm and pawl and urging the pawlinto alinement with the arm, said bell crank having its other arm extending from the pivot away from the rod, andmeans for engaging the second arm to tilt the first arm toward the rod and bring the pawl parallel to the rod.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIAM A. BOTHHOLZ. 

